I woke up the next morning to an empty room. Aeliana was already gone, probably up and about with her usual uptight demeanor. Today was the last day of this week-long arrangement.
Leora's brilliant idea had been for us to live together, hoping we'd bond or some shit like that. After today, things could go back to normal, whatever that meant.
I stretched, feeling the remnants of sleep leave my body. I needed a shower to wake up properly. Thoughts of Aeliana flashed in my mind, her stubbornness, her fierce determination.
Damn, she was something else. She drove me insane, but there was something about her that kept pulling me in. Maybe it was the challenge. Or maybe it was just the idea of fucking her senseless and seeing that composed exterior crack. Yeah, that thought definitely had some appeal.
I stepped into the bathroom, turned on the water, and let the hot spray hit my skin. I closed my eyes, letting my mind wander.
Memories of the night before played in my head. The tension, the almost kiss... it had been so close. Too close. But there was something about the way she looked at me, the way she held herself. It made me want to break her, to see her lose control.
After my shower, I grabbed a towel and stepped out, only to be greeted by the sight of Aeliana stepping into the bathroom.
She didn't notice me at first, and I took the opportunity to admire her naked form. Her skin was flawless, her body toned and perfect. Fuck, she looked incredible. My mind raced with all the things I wanted to do to her.
She finally looked up and saw me standing there. Her eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed a bottle of shampoo and chucked it at me. I dodged it, laughing.
"Get out, Ciara!" she snapped, her cheeks flushing.
I raised my hands in mock surrender, but my mind was still buzzing with the image of her naked body. "Alright, alright, I'm going. Don't get your panties in a twist."
I stepped out of the bathroom, but my thoughts stayed firmly fixed on Aeliana. The way she looked, the way her body moved... it was all I could think about. Damn it, this was getting out of hand.
---
A few hours later, I tried to focus on the mission at hand. I had to escort some villagers to the human-demon borders, a routine task that normally wouldn't require much effort. But today, my mind was a mess.
The crisp morning air did little to clear the fog in my head as we set out. My boots crunched against the gravel path, a sound that usually kept me grounded, but today it was just background noise.
All I could think about was Aeliana. Her body, her fiery spirit, the way she challenged me at every turn. It was infuriating and intoxicating all at once. Every memory of her was a sharp blade slicing through my concentration.
The journey to the borders was a blur. I barely paid attention to the people I was escorting, my mind too occupied with thoughts of Aeliana. Every step felt like torture, my body on edge with pent-up frustration and desire.
"Miss, are we taking the right path?" one of the villagers asked, his voice laced with uncertainty. I blinked, realizing I hadn't been paying attention to our surroundings.
"Yes, of course," I responded, trying to sound confident. But the villager's skeptical glance told me he wasn't convinced.
I could feel the eyes of my companions on me, their whispers just barely audible. "Is she alright?" one murmured. "She seems... distracted," another added.
"She's been like this since we left," an older woman observed, her voice carrying a note of concern.
My grip tightened on my sword hilt, trying to ground myself in the physical sensation. I needed to focus, to push thoughts of Aeliana out of my mind, but it was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her. Every time I took a breath, I could almost smell her. It was driving me fucking insane.
We trudged on, the landscape around us shifting from lush greenery to the barren, rocky terrain that marked the borderlands. The air grew heavier, a subtle reminder of the proximity to border territory. Yet, my mind was far from the dangers that might lurk ahead.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" a young man asked, anxiety clear in his voice. His words snapped me back to the present, and I realized we had veered slightly off course.
"Yes," I lied, correcting our direction with a forced calmness. "Just a small detour. We'll be there soon."
The group exchanged uneasy glances but followed without further question. I could sense their doubt, their worry. It was my job to lead and protect them, but today I was failing them.
"Aeliana..." I muttered under my breath, her name a curse and a prayer.
"Pardon, miss?" one of the older men in the group inquired, his brow furrowed.
"Nothing," I replied curtly, frustration boiling over. "Just stay close and keep moving."
As we approached the borders, the demarcation between human and demon lands became starkly evident. The air was thick with tension, the ground itself seeming to pulse with latent energy. Normally, I would have been hyper-aware, every sense on alert for potential threats. Today, I was barely present.
Finally, we reached the borders. The people I was escorting thanked me, their words barely registering. One of the villagers, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, placed a hand on my arm.
"Are you alright, dear?" she asked softly. "You seem troubled."
"I'm fine," I lied again, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
She nodded, but the concern in her eyes didn't fade. "Take care of yourself," she advised before joining the others.
As they disappeared into the distance, I felt a wave of relief mixed with guilt. I had completed the task, but I knew I had been far from my best.
I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off Aeliana. But nothing worked. Not even the familiar routine of my duties could distract me from the burning desire that was consuming me.
As I made my way back to the castle, my thoughts were a chaotic mess. I needed to do something, anything, to get Aeliana out of my head. But the more I tried, the more she consumed me. I had never felt like this before. It was maddening.
The sun was setting as I reached the castle gates, the sky painted in hues of orange and purple. The guards nodded in greeting, but I barely acknowledged them. My steps echoed through the empty halls as I made my way to my chambers, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.
As I made my way to the castle hall, my thoughts were a chaotic mess. I needed to do something, anything, to get Aeliana out of my head. But the more I tried, the more she consumed me. I had never felt like this before. It was maddening.